Anencephalic' Model to Show the Role of Corticosteroids in the Lung Surfactant Formation

Abstract

The present study in an innovative manner using anencephalic fetuses as model established that the corticosteroid production is important and a prerequisite to pulmonary maturation. This was found out by subjecting amniotic fluid to phospholipid (lectihin and sphingomyelin) analysis in hydramniotic pregnancies who gave birth to anencephalic babies where hypothalamo-hypophyseal adreno cortical axis is reported to be defective.